National gov’t, LGUs, private sector to split 30 million doses of Covovax

FILE PHOTO: In this photo, Dr. Nita Patel, Director of Antibody Discovery and Vaccine development, lifts a vial with a potential coronavirus, COVID-19, vaccine at Novavax labs in Rockville, Maryland on March 20, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The national government, local government units (LGU), and the private sector will split allocation of 30 million doses of Covovax, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by American drugmaker Novavax, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said.

“‘Yung Novovax, bukas po ipa-finalize namin ang agreement kasi gusto po ng LGUs at ng private sector makihati po sa 30 million natin,” Galvez said in a taped meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday.

(On Novovax, we will finalize tomorrow the agreement because the LGUs and the private sector want to have a share in our 30 million doses.)

In response, Duterte said: “Fine with us.”

The Philippines already signed a supply agreement with Novavax for 30 million doses of its jab which will be manufactured in India.

Its vaccine, however, has yet to secure an emergency use authorization from the country’s Food and Drug Administration.

India’s Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran previously said Covovax may be delivered in the country in the late second quarter or third quarter of this year.

KGA